The Car Connection Expert Review

When
Japan ’s leading automakers,
Toyota and
Nissan, announced plans to enter the tough and demanding luxury car market, they
were greeted with equal amounts of skepticism. But following their simultaneous,
1989 debuts, Lexus and Infiniti followed decidedly different paths.

Toyota ’s upscale franchise got off to a fast start and
is, today, the number-one seller in the
U.S. luxury market. Infiniti, with
its quirky “rocks and trees” marketing campaign, got plenty of media attention
but relatively few buyers and as the new millennium began, there were some
industry analysts convinced Nissan might cut the brand’s life support.

Things took a sudden turn for the better,
barely four years ago, with the introduction of the G35. As with earlier models,
such as the original Q45 flagship, the G was more than just a German clone.
Based on the FM platform shared with the 350Z, it was pleasing to
look at and lots of fun to drive. And for the first time since Infiniti’s
off-the-mark introduction, buyers flocked to showrooms.

1999 Honda Fuya-Jo concept

To get the new model-year
going, Infiniti is back with a new version of the G35, launching first in sport-sedan
trim, with coupe and convertible versions to follow in quick succession.
TheCarConnection.com has gotten the chance to drive several versions of the
sedan, though for the sake of this review, we’ll focus on the G35S, the
sportiest version – and also the most pricey.

2007 INFINITI G35 Sedan

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If you were expecting a radical
departure from the outgoing G’s design, you may be disappointed. On the other
hand, those who loved the gracefully aggressive look of the original G35, which
debuted as an ’03, will likely be pleased. Nissan Motor Co.’s design director,
Shiro Nakamura, doesn’t deny that the sedans, old and new, are “very similar,”
though he asserts that “If you spend a day with the car, you will notice a lot
of details (that are) more expressive, with much more finessed surfaces.”

There is,
for one thing, a distinct crease to the side sheetmetal, what designers like to
call a “character line.” The headlights are more distinctive, accounting for the
application of bi-xenon technology. And the distinctive Infiniti grille has been
delicately revamped.

Actually, where you’re likely to
notice a more distinctive difference is inside. As part of Nissan’s dramatic
turnaround, the automaker has put a lot of emphasis on styling, but its
interiors have fallen a bit short. The new G’s cabin shows a significant
emphasis on refinement, both in the use of upscale materials – like leather and
aluminum – and the way they all come together. It’s still not up to Audi levels,
but the new car is a definite improvement.

The hand-stitched steering wheel
has an elegant feel as it slides through your hands. The gauge cluster is well
lit and extremely pleasing to the eyes. Switches and other controls have been
markedly improved, they just feel better to the fingers and they are, for the
most part, perfectly placed.

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2007 INFINITI G35 Sedan

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Seating is reasonably
comfortable, front and back. You actually can seat four in the new G35, without
feeling like you’ve violated the Geneva Convention’s torture rules for those in
back. You’ll feel tight with five, though. The long wheelbase – the longest in
its class, in fact – also provides you a pleasingly roomy trunk.

It also translates into a solid
and stable rear-drive platform – shared with the Nissan 350Z, among other models
– for what earns the designation “sport” sedan. During our first run inside the
G35S, we steered towards a particularly rugged and treacherous stretch of
Carmel Valley Road, a ten-mile run of tortured asphalt that has been
known to trip up some equally promising contenders. After a couple runs, we were
convinced that Infiniti took the money it saved on styling and put it into the
part of the car that mattered most.

Even on the most wicked,
off-camber turns, the G35S maintained its firm grip, with nary a tire squeak.
Steering was entirely intuitive, with just the right level of feedback. Okay,
it’s not quite a BMW 335i, but it’s amazingly close, far more so than the Lexus
IS series.

Infiniti has done a marvelous job
tuning and tweaking its 4-Wheel Active Steering system. The sophisticated
package kicks in at 35 mph by subtly changing the angle of the rear wheels for
better high-speed handling. At low speeds, it works with the front wheels in
order to improve parking.

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2007 INFINITI G35 Sedan

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Being the
U.S.,
we expect most buyers will opt for the G35 with automatic transmission. There’s
nothing wrong with that choice, especially with the paddle shifters that come on
the S model. It’s a smooth-shifting five-speed package that doesn’t spend too much
time hunting around for the right gear, even on steep grades. But our own
preference is the six-speed manual, among the best available in any car right
now.

Ghosn wall

Either gearbox comes mated to the
latest-generation Nissan VQ 3.5-liter V-6. The automaker claims 80 percent of the
engine’s parts are new, and there’s now variable valve timing on both intake and
exhaust. Power climbs modestly, from 298 to 306 hp, while you get another 8
lb-ft of torque, at 268. You’re likely to push the engine all the way up to its
7600-rpm redline. – which is up from 7000 in the old G35 – and in the process,
you’ll notice the new car is significantly quicker, in the low 5-second range,
compared to the prior car’s barely sub-6 performance.

Of course, these
days, performance is measured in a number of ways, not just what reaches the
tires. The new G35 offers a full compliment of electronic systems, including
an optional, top-end Bose audio package with in-door subwoofers and a
9.5-gigabyte hard-drive system that lets you load up on all your favorite tunes. The optional
navigation and XM satellite radio systems are linked to provide real-time
traffic alerts. And there’s an optional Bluetooth package for hands-free
phoning.

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2007 INFINITI G35 Sedan

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Though the powertrain package is
the same for all G35 variants, the S gets a unique bumper and side sills, an
anti-lift rear spoiler, larger brakes, and 18-inch wheels, as well as 16-way
sport seats. The 4-Wheel Active Steering system is available as an option only
the G35S.

With the ’07, Infiniti expands
the G35 lineup with the addition of the Journey model, while also maintaining
the all-wheel-drive G35X. A coupe will come along in time for the ’08 model
year, and there are likely to be other variants, Nakamura hints. We expect a
convertible among them, though the Japanese designer suggested a
gasoline-electric hybrid is “probably” under consideration. If it reaches
market, we’d expect it to follow the strategy taken by Lexus, which is using
hybrid power to emphasize performance more than mileage.

As first to market, the sedan
will have to do the bulk of the heavy lifting in a sport sedan segment that is
crowded and competitive. Considering the price tag, Infiniti’s offering is a
definite contender. Those who’d hoped for a more radical re-skinning are bound
to be disappointed, but for the rest of us, the ’07 G35 is a slick and stylish
package that delivers where it counts most.